Antiulcer Drugs Don’t Increase Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

The use of proton pump inhibitors doesn’t increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, shows a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland.

Proton pump inhibitors are a type of antiulcer drug that is commonly used among older persons.

The association between proton pump inhibitors and Alzheimer’s disease was studied at the University of Eastern Finland, as two previous studies from Germany reported an increased risk of dementia. However, these findings were not confirmed by the extensive Finnish study – at least not for the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia. The results were published in American Journal of Gastroenterology.

According to the new study, proton pump inhibitor use was not associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, not even in long-term use exceeding three years. Furthermore, a higher dose did not increase the risk. According to the researchers, people do not need to avoid proton pump inhibitors in fear of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

However, long-term use of proton pump inhibitors should be carefully considered among older persons, as it has been linked with decreased calcium and vitamin B12 absorption and with serious intestinal infections (Clostridium difficile).